Intel 12th Gen Core “Alder Lake-S” Processors to Require New CPU Coolers Due to Socket Changes

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Intel’s next family of desktop processors, the 12th Gen Core “Alder Lake-S” series, will feature a new socket code named LGA 1700. Schematics shared by Igor’s Lab today confirm that enthusiasts will need new coolers (or, at least, new mounts) based on the dimensions of LGA 1700 (37.5 x 45 mm vs. LGA 1200’s 37.5 x 37.5 mm), which include some significant differences such as a shorter Z-stack height and new hole pattern. Igor’s report also suggests that Intel may have partnered with Cooler Master again to develop a special, thermoelectric (Peltier) cooler that follows on the heels of the MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero for LGA 1200 processors...
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The change in socket... ok, no big deal.

The rumor about a new Peltier cooler... umm. That raises some eyebrows - if we need to drop back to active "more than air" cooling to keep these chips cool, that doesn't sound good. I know the last few gens of Intel chips have run ... warm and hungry. It doesn't look like we are moving away from that, but instead, doubling down on it.

Hot and hungry chips have always lost out to a more efficient design. You'd think they would have learned from Netburst -> Core, and from the current Skylake vz Ryzen ... but I guess if you don't have the more efficient design and/or process to make it, you do what you can until you do.
 
Brian_B said:
The rumor about a new Peltier cooler... umm. That raises some eyebrows
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Note that they're only using three fans still; this isn't a change in total heat dissipation capability as much as being able to respond to high loads better. And those three fans have to deal with the usually fairly massive inefficiencies of TECs too. I can't say that I'd be in a hurry to use one myself.

Now if they'd brought out a phase-change cooler, well, that'd be telling ;)


Also to address your main point: Intel's desktop CPUs should be getting more efficient in terms of work done per watt, but they may also be cranking the number of cores and clockspeeds to push their top-tier releases. Unlike Netburst, which was a decision to sacrifice performance per clock for increased clockspeeds, Intel is a coin flip away from Ryzen now, and should be reasonably expected to reclaim the single-core performance lead as they get their fabs in order. Multi-core is still a toss up of course.
 
Already knew about the socket change a while ago so no new news there. I'll be curious to see how these new chips perform once they're out.
 
They are just changing it up. They can't be typical Intel all the time
 
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